Systems which transport items between stations are known in the prior art. Some prior art transfer systems include systems in which items are moved between a service provider and a customer in a carrier that is moved through a transfer conduit. The carrier is moved through the transfer conduit by differential pressure that is selectively produced in areas of the conduit. The differential pressure is commonly produced by drawing a vacuum in the area into which the carrier is to be moved, or by producing a positive pressure in the area behind the carrier, or both. In either event the differential pressure between the areas in front and behind the carrier propels it through the transfer conduit. Systems of this type are commonly provided in drive through banking applications by Diebold, Incorporated, the Assignee of the present invention. An example of such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,891, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In prior art pneumatic transfer systems the carriers that are used to move items between the service provider and the customer are of a relatively small size. This is required to keep the systems economical and reliable. The movement of substantially larger carriers through transfer conduits of significant distance generally requires much larger blowers and more complex service provider and customer stations than is mechanically and economically feasible.
Pneumatic transfer systems are also generally made so that the service provider and the customer may remove the carrier for loading and unloading. This is desirable because the orientation of the carrier in such systems cannot be controlled. By removing the carrier from the conduit, the service provider and customer are enabled to manipulate the orientation of an access device on the carrier to facilitate loading and unloading items therefrom. The size and weight of removable carriers must be maintained relatively small so that all persons in reasonably good physical condition can remove, manipulate and reinstall the carrier in the transfer conduit.
It is common in removable carrier systems to include mechanisms which customers and service providers manipulate to access the interior area of the carrier. Errors can occur. This can cause the carrier to open during transport. This may result in loss of the contents of the carrier. The carrier may also become stuck in the tube disabling the system. Loose items within the tube may also cause damage to the accelerator rings, which are seals which extend between the carrier and the inside wall of the tube. These seals enable the carrier to move in response to differential pressure in the tube.
Some carrier designs are configured so that when the carrier is open it is larger in cross section than the inner cross section of the tube. If such a carrier is not properly closed and/or it opens in the tube during travel the carrier may become jammed in the tube. Freeing a jammed carrier may be time consuming and costly. Customers are inconvenienced until the system is fixed. The customer whose material is held in the jammed carrier is particularly inconvenienced.
In some situations it would be desirable to move items which are larger in size and/or which weigh more than items that are readily transferred using conventional pneumatic tube systems. One situation where such a need arises is in a drive through pharmacy. Many individuals would prefer to pick up and pay for prescriptions and medications from their car. However, the weight and physical size associated with the transport of relatively large quantities of medical items (which quantities are usually the most cost effective to purchase) makes conventional pneumatic tube systems unsuitable for this use. In addition, most persons would find it difficult to manipulate the carriers due to the larger size and weight.
Thus, there exists a need for a pneumatic transfer apparatus and method that can be used for delivering items which are of greater size and weight than items which are conventionally transferred in pneumatic tube systems, and which apparatus may still be economically installed and operated.